25 random thoughts

April 22, 2012

Writers and analysts and celebrities don't have much time for long drawn-out discussions anymore. Why bother with thoughtful analysis when you can pound out easily misunderstood thoughts in 140 characters or less.

Yes, sir, I love Twitter. At some point I bought into it, and now reading and writing Tweets is a regular part of my day. And no matter what happens, I always get excited when I see that little red box when I am on Facebook, because it means someone has commented on something I wrote.

Long letters and journals are antiquated. Why bother making sure people understand you? It's easier just to use symbols and abbreviations to make your point. And if others don't understand those things, well, that's not your problem.

OK, the last few paragraphs were littered with sarcasm, but I can see the value in random thoughts, mainly because sometimes what needs to be written doesn't need too much space.

So, for this week's column, I figured I go with 25 quick thoughts. Time (and space) are wasting, let's go:

1. Hopewell-Loudon's baseball team impresses me when it beats teams 21-3, as it did Thursday against Monroeville. But it's even more impressive in wins like the one against Oak Harbor Tuesday. In that game, H-L was down a run in the last inning and came back to win. Winning close contests will be the key when the Chieftains (now 15-1) reach the postseason.

2. If I'm doing 25 of these, they better be shorter than that.

3. Every time I read a box score that involves New Riegel softball player Taylor Kirian, I just shake my head. Coming into this past week, the Blue Jacket was hitting .613 and had a 1.47 ERA with a 7-1 record. Yeah, she's good.

4. Heidelberg shortstop Ricardo Lizcano keeps knocking the cover off the ball. Lizcano has six homers and 36 RBIs. Having watched him for four years, it wouldn't shock me to see him in pro baseball very soon.

5. I feel like I should just write Autumn Nichols in first place for hurdling events at the track meets Columbian is at.

6. My favorite name in Major League Baseball is the Chicago Cubs' Darwin Barney. It's an evolution giant meeting a purple dinosaur.

7. Hope I'm wrong, but I think Reds' third baseman Scott Rolen is close to done.

8. I'm still not entirely sure who Indians' reserve outfielder Aaron Cunningham is. OK, strike that. I know who he is, I'm just not sure why he's on a major league club.

9. Not that the Browns should pay attention to my opinion, but I think they should take running back Trent Richardson in next week's draft.

10. It's been so long since Cleveland has taken a true impact player in the draft. Joe Thomas is great, but the Browns would be just as bad without him.

11. It's not good when it's after midnight and Christopher Cross comes on the radio. It's like someone is telling you to go to sleep.

12. It's not sports, but it was too bad to hear about the death of Band drummer Levon Helm. A great singer, great performer and great musician.

13. I am against OHSAA divisional expansion only because I feel like the more teams that get in, the less special the playoffs become. Playoffs mean something in football because they are hard to attain.

14. Really enjoyed Al Stephenson's column a few weeks ago about baseball ballparks. I haven't been to as many as Al, but I'd rate Dodger Stadium as my favorite. Of the newer parks, I prefer Pittsburgh's PNC Park.

15. Progressive Field remains a great venue, even if the Indians days of making it look like the place to be have long since passed.

16. Not a big fan of Cincinnati's Great American Ballpark, if only because its dimensions are way to small. Duane Kuiper could have hit 10 homers in a season there.

17. Is the NBA season still going?

18. My pick for the champions are the Miami Heat. I feel like if I think they'll win I won't be as upset if they do.

19. The sting of LeBron James' leaving has left. But that doesn't mean I want him to win or anything.

20. Get well wishes to the Bee Gees' Robin Gibb.

21. I'd pick Joey Votto over Albert Pujols at this point.

22. Favorite sports movie is Major League.

23. I keep thinking mixed martial arts is a fad, but as time goes on it looks less and less like one.

24. Anyone else think ESPN should just give it up with those SportsCenter commercials?